Improvement in marking-frames for plug-tobacco



1 y 2 sheetssmeet 2. j D. W'. De FOREST.

Markingfframefobr'Plug-Tobacoo.

UNITED l STATES PATENT OEEToE.

DAVID W. DE FOREST, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN MARKING-FRAMES FOR PLUG-TOBACCO.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N o. 199,624, dated January 29, 1878; application filed December 31, 1877.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be yit known that I, DAVID WM. DE FOR- EST, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Marking-Frames for Plug-Tobacco; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled inthe art to which they appertain to make and use the same, reference bein g'had to the accompanyin g drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My Vinvention relates to marking plugs of tobacco on one or both sides by means of a marking-frame which is independent of the presser-plate. Heretofore such marking has been done either by hand, after, the whole finishing of the plug, or directly by means of the presser-plate.

The iirst meth od is objectionable, for the reason that it requires great care and much labor. The second method is objectionable because, as it is necessary to often change the devices for im pression and raising the figures to mark the plug, it becomes a very expensive matter, as the presser-plate would be useless after once applying a certain set of gures on the plate.

My invention consists in a skeleton plate of any suitable material, carrying letters, symbols, or other devices which are desired to be marked upon the tobacco.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure l is a plan of the marking frame, showing raised and stenciled letters and other ornaments on the same. Fig. 2 is a sectional View on the lines x w of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an ordinary presser-plate. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the markingframe. Fig. 5 indicates plugs of tobacco to be marked. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of the presser-plate, marking-frame, and a plug of tobacco while in contact. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the finished plugs of tobacco.

A is the marking-frame, which consists of a series of plates, a b c d, which are held t0- gether at a given distance by the small straps, rods, or wires e f g h fi k l.

The plates c b c d have either raised letters or ornaments on their under side, (which comes in contact with the plug of tobacco to be y marked,) as indicated by b and d', or the plates are stenciled in letters or ornaments, as Ashown by c and c', Figs. 1 and 2. i

Having thus described the marking-frame, I come now to the method of applying it on the plug of tobacco to be marked. The tobacco, having gone through the ordinary way of shaping it into the regular plug, is put into the last press, and the markingframe being placed on top of it, so that the raised letters and ornaments are in contact with the plug, the presser-plate B is lowered on the frame A, and pressure applied until the marking-frame is sunk as far into the soft plug of tobacco as may be desired-generally till the top of the frame is even with the surface of the tobacco.

It is evident, now, that the raised letters and ornaments b and d of the plates b and d of the marking-frame leave their impressions on the plug, and the tobacco is pressed into letters and ornaments of the stenciled parts a and c on the plates c and c.

I do not wish to limit myself to any number of plates and wires which compose the marking-frame, or to the particular shape of the letters and ornaments on said plate or plates. The former may be increased in order tomark more or larger plugs of tobacco, or reduced so as to consist of only one plate and wires, in order to mark small or single plugs of tobacco.

What I claim 'is- A A skeleton plate or frame with raised letters or devices thereon, jointly with a finish'- ing plate, for simultaneously finishing and marking plug-tobacco, substantially as herein described.

DAVID W. DE FOREST. Witnesses:

THEoDoRE Gr. HosTER, M. F. CLIFTON. 

